Auxiliary apparatus for setting air brakes



April 7, 1931. o. HOOVER 1,799,422

AUXILIARY APPARATUS FOR SETTING AIR BRAKES Filed Nov. 19, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 gnue'ntoz Z 59 Oily Ham/er April 7, 1931. Q HOOVER 1,799,422

AUXILIARY APPARATUS FOR SETTING AIR BRAKES Filed Nov. 19, 1929 If Sheets-Sheet 2 A ril 7, 1931. o. HOOVER 1,799,422

AUXILIARY APPARATUS FOR SETTING AIR BRAKES Filed Nov. 19, 1929 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 651 III! 57 t 3g 3/ 3 66 O a 69/ 55 7 L A w T .51 5 1 F\ W I l d 3 W 7'7 T #54 @j I a I j i' x w a A? I: @l fia R a; /5

. gnuwnfo'o U 0550 Hoayer Patented 7, 1931 f UNITED-STATES OTTO HOOVER, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS AUXILIARY APPARATUS son sa'r-iriiienia BR-AKEs Application filed November 19, 1929. Serial 1\T0. 408,357:

This invention relates to a brakeapplying or setting apparatus for freight'and other cars, and has for one of its objects to provide a novel apparatus'of tl11S"Cll&ILOl'/81 which shall be especially adapted to be used during the shifting of freight cars and throughtlie medium of which the brakes of a free car may be set without danger to the brakeman I and in a much shorter time and, more posi- "tively than they could be set through the medium of one of the hand wheels of the The invention liasfor'a further objectto provide an apparatus of the character stated which shall be simple, durable and'highly an eflicient,,which may be inanufacturedand sold at a comparatively low cost, and which may be readily mounted upon thebodyof the car and connected to the brake mechanism there With the foregoing and other objects in View, thenature of which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and drawing, wherein a Figure l is a View in side elevation of a fragmentary portion of a freight" car equipped with abrake setting apparatus con-' strueted in accordance with my invention; Figure 2 is a view in end elevation ofv the car and brake setting'apparatus;

Figure 3 is a sectional view onanenlarged scale taken on afvertical plane extending centrally through thebrake setting apparatus; Figure 4: is a sectional View taken on the horizontal plane indicated by, the line 4@& otFigureS; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the horizontal plane indicated by the line -5 -5 of Figure 2; 1

, claimed,'and illustrated in the accompanying V neled guides 16 and 17 f'which extend from thereof "The casing'18 is provided with a are formed in the front and rearwa-llsofthe a casing- 18 and its cap sect1on19. The guide Figure 6 is a view in side elevation illustrating one of the brackets for supporting the1 levers of the brake setting apparatus; an I I 1 ;-Figure 7 is a sectional view illustrating the manner in which certain of the" levers are pivotally and slidably connected to the brackets 1 v Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 designates the body. of a freight car of the usual construction. 2 designates two of the stirrups, 3 two of the series of ladder rounds, and 4 one of the endplatforms of the car. 5 designates a brake cylinder which is ser cured t0 the under side ofthe car body 1, 6 a lever which is pivotally connected, as at 7, v

to the piston rod 8 of the cylinder, and 9' rods which connect the lever tothe floating levers attached to the brake beams. f The cylinder 5, levers, 6 and rods 9 constitute" 0 parts of an airbrakeniechanisin of the type usually used on freight cars and the part 6 I is the primary lever of the brake' The brake applying apparatus constituting the subject mattenof this application, comprises a cylinder 10-which is secured iiian, upright position upon an end ofthe car body 1'. The cylinder 10 is'secured in place by bolts, 11 which pass through the end of the car body 1 and through brackets 12 fixed to the rear side of the cylinder and extending laterally beyond the cylinder. The cylinder 10 is provided at its lower end'with an outwardly directed annular flange 13, and thi's end of the. cylinder is closed by a plate 14: which is remov'ably secured to the flange by 7 bolts 15. Thecylinder 10 is provided at diametrically opposite sides thereof with chanthe upper to the lower ends of the cylinder and communicate with the cylinder. "A casing 18 is formed integrally with the cylinder 10, and it extends laterally from the cylinder at a point centrally between the ends cap orupper section 19 which is ren ovably secured in place-by bolts-20. Alin'ed bearingsQl and 22, and'alined bearings 23 and 24 16 is provided with a lateral extension 16 which is arranged within the casing 18 and'is provided with bearing openings which register with the bearings 21 and 22. The front walls of the casing 18 and its cap sec tion 19 are provided with an opening 26 which reglsters with the bearings 23'and 24, and said bearings are provided with annular recesses 23 and 24*, respectively.

A hollow piston body 27 is slidably mounted in the cylinder 10, and it is closed at its upper and open at its lower end. Ribs 28 and 29 which are arranged at the outer side of the piston 27 and extend from the lower to the upper end thereof, fit in the guides 16 and 17 and serve, in conjunction with the guides, to prevent the piston from having any tilting movement with respect to the cylinder 10. The rib 28 is provided with rack teeth 30 with which meshes a pinion 31 fixed to a shaft 32 ournaled in the bearings 21, 22 and 25. The rib 29 is provided with anti-friction rollers 33 which contact with the outer lateral wall of the guide 17.

A pull rod 34 is arranged axially within the piston 27 and has its upper end secured, as at 35, to the upper end wall 27 of the piston. The rod 34 extends downwardly through the head 14 of the cylinder lO. A heavy coil spring 36 is arranged withinthe piston 27,

and bears at its lower end upon the head 14 of the cylinder 10 and at its upper end against the end 27? of the piston. p 7

The piston 27 is considerably shorter than the cylinder 10, and it normally occupiesa position in the lower end of the cylinder with the, spring 36 under compression. The piston 27 is adaptedto be moved into and held in its lowered position against the power of the spring 36 by means which comprise, in addition to the rack bar 28, pinion 31 and shaft 32, a shaft 37 journaled in the bearings 23 and 24, a pinion 38 loose on the shaft 3 and meshing with a pinion 39 fixed on the snaft 32, a male clutch element 40 fixed to the pinion 38, and a female clutch element 41 splined to the shaft 37. The shaft 37 is provided at its rear end with an annular flange 42, which fits in the groove 24 of the bearim 24 and serves to hold the shaft against endwise displacement. The pinion 38 is provided with an annular flange 43 which fits in the groove 23 of the bearing 23 and serves to hold the pinion against endwise movement with respect to the shaft 37. i The shaft 37 extends forwardly through the opening 26 of the casing 18, and is provided at its outer or front end with a hand wheel 44. A ratchet wheel 45 is fixed to the shaft 37 forwardlyof the casing 18, and a pawl 46 pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 47, to the front side of the casing 18, normally engages the ratchet wheel and serves, when the clutch members 40 and 41 are in engagement, to releasably hold the piston 27 in its lowered position. The piston 27 is adapted to be moved into its lowered position through the medium of the hand wheel 44 when the clutch members 40. and 41 are in engagement. The

outer spokes of the hand wheel 44 are spaced apart sufficiently to permit the brakeman to place his foot between them should he find it necessary to do so in order to efiect the lowering of the piston 27 against the power of the spring 36.

A foot lever 48 which is pivoted at one end, as at 49, upon the platform 4, and which is connected by a rod 50 to the pawl 46, provides means by which thepawl may be swung out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 45 to effect the release of the shaft 37 when it is desired to lower the piston 2 The clutch member 41 is provided with a sleeve 51 which extends axiaily therefrom and surrounds the shaft 37. The sleeve 51 is provided with inner ribs 52 which extend longitudinally thereof and engage in grooves 53 extending longitudinally of the-shaft 37, the ribs connecting the clutch member 41 to the shaft for rotation therewith and for adjustment longitudinally thereof. The clutch member 41 is adapted to be moved into and out ofengagement with the clutch member 40 through the medium of a rod 54 which is rotatably supported by bearings 55 along side the cylinder 10. The bearings 55 are secured to the end of the car. The rod 54 extends from the upper end of the cylinder 10 to a point below the lower end thereof, and is provided at its upper and lower ends with crank arms or handles 56 which are terminally equipped with grips 57. A rack sieeve 5 8 surrounds the clutch sleeve 51, and it is rotatably connected to the clutch sleeve by annular flanges 59 formed on the clutch sleeve and engaging in grooves 60 formed in the rack sleeve. The rack sleeve 58 is made of sections to permit it to be applied to the clutch sleeve 51, and the sections thereof are secured together by bolts 61. The rack teeth 62 of the rack sleeve 58 extend longitudinally of the sleeve and mesh with a segmental gear 63 which is fixed to a shaft 64 arranged at right angles to the shaft 37. r

The rack sleeve 58 is provided above and below its rack teeth. 62 with flanges 65 which contact with the upper and lower side of the pinion 63to prevent the sleeve from turning out of engagement with the pinion. The shaft 64 is journaled at its lower end in a step bearing 66 carried by the bottom of the casing 18, and it extendsthrough and beyond abearing 67 formed in the top of the cap 19 for the casing.

A crank arm 68 carried the rod 54 and a crank arm 69 carried by the shaft 64, and a link 70 connecting the crank arms, constitute means for establishing an operative connection between the rod and shaft. This con nection is such that when the rod 54 is turned uaesaa 1 direction tocarry the clutch element 41'out ofengagement with the clutch element 40,

with the result; that the piston 27 will be freed for upward movement by the. spring 36. This connection is also such that-when the shaft 54 is moved in its opposite direction, the pinion 63 is turned in a direction to move the clutch member 41 into engagement with the I clutch member 40. The rod 54 maybe readily turned through .the medium of either of its handles 56 by a brakeman occupying a position upon the roof of the car or standing uponthe stirrup 2 orupon one of the ladder rounds. 3. The pinion 63 is of the split type to permit of its easy engagement with the angular portion 64 of the shaft whichis provided therefor, and the pinionis adapted to be secured on such portion of the shaft by a bolt 71.

Therod 34 of the piston 27 is connected to the brakelever 6 by means which comprise frontlevers 72and 73 and rear levers 74 and 75, which are .of angular formation. The levers 72 and 73 are carried by a bracket 76 which is secured, as at 77, to the bottom of the car body '1 andextends longitudinally of the car. The lever 72 is'pivoted, as at78,,to the front end of-the bracket 76,,andhas one arm pivoted, as at 79, to the lower end of w the piston rod'34. The pivot 7 8 occupies a fixed position on the bracket 76, and the other armofthe lever 72 is pivotally. connected,.as at80, to one arm of the lever 73. The lever 73 is pivotallyand slidablyconnected to the bracket 7 6 ,as at81, and the other arm thereof is securedbya link 82 to one armof the lever 74. The levers 74 and are carried by a bracket '83 which is secured to the under side of the car body 1 and extends longitudinally thereof, and; islocated directlyin rear of but sligh ly above; the bracket 76; The lever 74 is-pivoted, as at 84, to the bracket 83, and the lever 75 is pivotally and slidably connected to thebracket, as at-8 5, the pivot 84 occupying a: fixed position on .the bracket85. The bracket 76 is provided withguideslots 86 for the pivot 81, and the pivot is provided with rollers87j whichmove 1n theslot and insure the free sliding movement of the pivot The brackets 83 are providedwith guides83'. for the pivot iand, the pivot is provided with rollers 89which fit in the guides. and insure the free turning and sliding-movement of the pivot. The levers-.7275 and a link 90 connect the piston rod 34 to the brake levers] the piston rodresultsiin the retraction of the 6 in such a manner that the upward movement of the piston rod resultsin the applicationof the brakes and the downward movement of brakes. 1 g I The levers '74- and 7 5, during the upward movement of the piston 27,-, serve to rapidly take up slack in the brake rigging, with the resultthatthe brakes will be applied asithe fallijwithinthe claimed,

y 3 2. In combination,

In practice, whenit is desired to.- compress Y the spring 36, the piston 27 is moved down{ wardly in the cylinder. 10,} The piston27 is adapted tobe moved inthis direction, when the clutch member 41 is inengagement with;

the clutch member 40, through-the medium of the handwheel 44. -D uring the turning of the hand wheel 44, the pawl 46 isrnaintained outof-engagement with the ratchet wheel .45 through the medium of the foot lever 48. After the piston normal lowered position, the pawlx46 is released to latch the'piston in this position. The brakes are now released, and when it is desired'to apply the brakes, .it is only necessaryto turn the-rod54 in a direction to move the clutch member 41 out of engagement with the clutch member40, and this-may be done through the medium offeither of the handles 56. The movement of the clutch. member 41 out of engagement with the clutch member- 40 frees thev piston 27 forupwardmovement bythe'spring- 36, and this movement of the piston results in the brake lever 6beingpulled in a direction to apply the brakes.

essary to moveithe clutch member-41 ;into en gagement with a the clutch member 40 and move the piston'27 downwardly.

27 has been moved into. its,

Wh nit,

' isldesired to release the brakes, itis only nec- I lVhile I have described the principleof the invention, together with the structure which I now consider. the .pref'erredfembodiment. thereof, itisto be understood, that the strum 1 ture shown ismerely illustrative and .that

such changesmay bema denvlien desired, as I scope ofthe invention as 1 cylinder, a piston slidably mounted-in said on ecting thep sto r.

second cylinder, means to the lever to permit the movement of the piston in one directionto rock the lever in brake applying direction, a springadapted to move the-p ston in said direction means for: moving the piston in; the opposite direction'to compress the spring, and means rcleasably holding the .piston against move- 2 ment upon the spring.

cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said;

second'cylinder, a takeup-ymechanism. co n# movement of the pistoninv onedirection to I rock the lever inbrake applying direction,

a spring adapted'to-movethe piston in said:

direction, means for moving the piston in the opposite dlrection .to compress the spring,

and means releasably. holding the piston.

againstmovement by theispring."

the brake cylinder and the primary lever of f an air brake, a second;

3. In combination, the brake cylinder and 'the primary lever of an air brake, a second cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said second cylinder, first and second connected angular levers, means supporting said first lever for movement about a fixed axis and supporting said second lever for movement about a shifting axis, means connecting said second lever to the primary lever, means connecting the piston to said first lever to permit the movement of the piston in one direction to rock the lever in brake applying direction, a spring adapted to move the piston in said direction, means for moving the piston in the opposite direction to-compress the spring, and means releasably holding thepiston against movement by the sprin 4. In combination, the brake cylinder and the primary lever of an air brake, a second cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said second cylinder, atake-up mechanism connected to the lever, first and second angular levers, means'supporting said first lever for movement about a fixed axis and said second lever for movement about a shifting axis,

means connecting said second lever to the take-up*mechanism, means connecting said first lever to the piston, a spring bearing against the piston, means for moving the piston in one direction to compress the spring, and means releasably holding the piston against movement by the spring.

' 5. In combination, a brake cylinder'and the primary lever of an air brake, a second cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said second cylinder, first and second angular levers pivotally connected, means support.

ing said first lever for movement about a fixed axis and said second leverfor movement about a. shifting axis, means connecting said second lever to the primary lever, third and fourth angular levers pivotally connected, means supporting said third lever for movement about a fixed axis and said fourth lever for movement about a shifting axis, means connecting said first and fourth levers, means connecting said third lever and piston, a

s rin bearin a ainst the )iston means for D b D 3 moving the piston tocompress the spring, and means releasably'holding the piston against movement bythe spring;

6. In combination, the brake cylinder and the primary lever'of an air brake, a second cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said second cylinder, means connecting the piston to the lever to permit the movement of the piston inone direction to rock the lever in brake applying direction, a spring adapted to move the piston in said direction, means for moving the piston in the opposite direc tion of the compressed spring and adapted to releasably hold the piston against movement by' the spring, a release rod, and means connecting the release rod to said first means.

7. In combination, a brake cylinder and with the other pinion on said first'shaft, a

clutch for connecting said loose pinion to said second shaft, clutch operating means, and means engaging said second shaft-to releasably hold the piston against movement by the spring When saidloose pinion is clutched to said second shaft. 7

8. In combination, the brake cylinder and the primary lever of an air brake, a second cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said second cylinder, meansconnecting the piston to the lever to permit the movement of the piston in one direction to rock the lever in brake applying direction, a spring adapted to move the piston in said direction, first and second shafts, pinions fixed to said first shaft and of Which one meshes With the rack bar,

a pinion loose on said second shaft and meshing With theother pinion of said first shaft, a clutch for connecting the loose pinion to 9. In combination, the brake cylinder and the primary lever of an air brake, a second cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said second cylinder, means connecting'the piston to the lever to permit the movement of the piston in one direction to rockthe lever in brake applying direction, a spring adapted to move the piston in said direction, first and second shafts, pinions fixed to said first shaft and of Whichone meshes with the rack bar, a pinion loosely mounted on said second'shaft and meshing with the other pinion of said first shaft, a clutch member carried by the loose pinion, a clutch member splined to said second shaft, 'asleeve rotatably connected to sald second clutch member and provided with a rack bar, a pinion meshing with the rack bar, a shaft upon which said pinion is Ournaled, a rod rotatably supported outside of the cylinder, means connecting the rod to said last shaft, and means engaging said sec- 0nd shaft and adapted to hold the piston against movement by the spring when the clutch members are in engagement with each cylinder and provided with ribs sliding in posed guides extending longitudinally thereof, a, piston slidably mounted in said second said guides, rollers carried byone of said ribs and contacting With the guides, means connecting the piston to the lever to permit the movement of the piston in one direction to rock the lever in brake applying direction,

' a spring adapted to move the piston in said spring. I I

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. OTTO HOOVER.

direction, means connected to the other guide rib of the piston and adapted to be operated to move the piston in the opposite direction to compress the spring, and means releasably holding the piston against movement by the 

